i'm going to head up to the pigeon, in hopes of chasing the small mouth, have any of you guys been yet? I'm thinking I am going to have to bring my own rock to stand on, I hope this is not the case. I'll report back soon!

The little pigeon has been pretty crowded over that last several weeks. On my way to work, mornings and home in the evenings , I can usually count 10-12 people every day fishing the same holes over and over. The bass are getting pounded in the main sections of the river from downtown down to wilderness. Lots of people using live bait.
My son and I fished for 3 hrs on Monday and had to move to new locations 3 times to find places to fish. We moved upstream and He did manage to catch 4 small bass on a Clouser before we left in frustration. we would be working our way downstream to a pool and someone would come down out of the bushes to fish in front of us.
several drifters and personal float craft on the river as well.
I sure wish TVA would slow down the generation from the tailwaters to give the freestones a break from all the pressure.
I fished it with Grampus last friday evening for bream with a 3wt, and it was pretty good before the cold front. They were not spawning yet like the bass are, so its a good option for some fun fishing with ultralight flyrods.
I've caught some good fish this year so far, back in April, and hope to continue but will have to go to some other locations to find unpressured water right now.

The little pigeon has been pretty crowded over that last several weeks. On my way to work, mornings and home in the evenings , I can usually count 10-12 people every day fishing the same holes over and over. The bass are getting pounded in the main sections of the river from downtown down to wilderness. Lots of people using live bait.
My son and I fished for 3 hrs on Monday and had to move to new locations 3 times to find places to fish. We moved upstream and He did manage to catch 4 small bass on a Clouser before we left in frustration. we would be working our way downstream to a pool and someone would come down out of the bushes to fish in front of us.
several drifters and personal float craft on the river as well.
I sure wish TVA would slow down the generation from the tailwaters to give the freestones a break from all the pressure.
I fished it with Grampus last friday evening for bream with a 3wt, and it was pretty good before the cold front. They were not spawning yet like the bass are, so its a good option for some fun fishing with ultralight flyrods.
I've caught some good fish this year so far, back in April, and hope to continue but will have to go to some other locations to find unpressured water right now.

The GOOD news is that TWRA is checking licenses on the river.

Dangit I thought that might be the case, However I am glad to hear TWRA is doing their job. This is great news. I stoped and talked to an agent last year, he was more interrested in showing off pictures of fish he caught then he was in checking me license.
Where were you bream fishing Gary? I think maybe I might check and see what the shellcrackers and blue gill are doing on Norris lake. I hear they don't spawn until the first full moon in May. I have always enjoied eatting a mess of big ol fried bluegill.
Thanks for the heads up, before I make the drive.

I can honestly say that I have never caught a shellcracker. I know there are supposed to be decent populations of them on Indian boundary but even there, I usually fish topwater for bass and bream and they are bottom feeders. I prefer to fish for the redbreast sunfish and bluegill in the rivers. The redbreast have a larger mouth and willingly take a smaller popper size 8 up to a size 4 . love the fish coloration when the water temps get in the 60s and they are spawning.
Plenty of public access to the LP on up in PF also in you don't mind fishing behind hotels. Also places along the road going up hwy 416 on the east fork of the LP.